Pan Cake

Preparing the frosting first helps you save on cleanup. Egg whites keep the cookies tender and pale, with a strong vanilla flavour, like white cake. Bleached cake flour gives the cookies a delicate crumb and their signature appearance and texture. Heavy cream helps the frosting and batter whip up light, so don't downgrade to milk.

Ingredients:

For the Frosting:

• 10 ounces powdered sugar (2 1/2 cups; 285g)1/4 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt; for table salt, use the same weight or half as much by volume2 1/2 ounces heavy cream (shy 1/3 cup; 70g)1 teaspoon (5ml) vanilla extract

For the Cookie Dough:

• 8 ounces unsalted butter (2 sticks; 225g), pliable but cool, about 60degF (16degC)7 ounces sugar (1 cup; 200g)2 teaspoons baking powder1 1/4 teaspoons (5g) Diamond Crystal kosher salt; for table salt, use the same weight or half as much by volume2 ounces egg white (1/4 cup; 55g), from about 2 large eggs1 ounce heavy cream (2 tablespoons; 30g)2 teaspoons (10ml) vanilla extract11 ounces bleached cake flour (2 3/4 cups; 310g), such as Swans Down (see notes)Assorted food colouring, nonpareils, and sprinkles, for decorating (optional)